Liturgy Alive Friday, February 3, 2012

Friday, February 3, 2012

Opening Prayer

Lord, our God,
John the Baptist spoke without fear
to the high and the mighty,
that they too, were bound by God's laws.
He risked his life for what is right and good.
Let him inspire us too
to let your word become flesh and blood in us
by taking the risks of our faith
and living as we believe.
Let this be the way in which we prepare
the fuller coming among us
of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

Liturgy of the Word

First Reading Introduction After we have heard in recent days the story of King David, Jesus Ben Sira reinterprets for his time the personality of David: a valiant king whose power comes from God, a singer of psalms and an organizer of the liturgy, the covenant king to whom lasting kingship has been promised.

Gospel Introduction

With the death of the Baptist ends the life of the last prophet of God of the Old Testament, who, as the hinge between the Old and the New Testaments, had prepared the way for the Lord's coming. He died as a suffering servant of God, a new Elijah, who stood up to kings and infamous queens.

General Intercessions

– Lord, give us great men and women, even great children, to inspire all of us on how to live our faith consistently, we pray:
– Lord, you know how timid we are. Help us to take the Gospel of your Son Jesus, seriously by letting your Spirit give us the insight and courage of prophets, we pray:
– Lord, you see how harsh we often are. Let the gentleness and compassion of good persons give us warm and understanding hearts, we pray:

Prayer over the Gifts

Lord our God,
these are only simple gifts,
a piece of bread and a bit of wine.
Accept them and give us instead
your Son, Jesus Christ.
Through the Spirit and his fire,
change us, timid people
into signs to everyone and all
of your tenderness and mercy,
your justice and your peace,
that we may bring into our world
the life and message of Jesus, our Lord.

Prayer after Communion

God of our hope and future,
your Spirit of wisdom and strength
was alive in Jesus, your Son.
Pour out the same Spirit on us too,
that we may bear witness today
to your faithfulness and love.
And give us always people inspired by you,
prophets like John the Baptist,
to wake us up when we are self-satisfied
and to inspire us to prepare the way
for the full coming of Jesus Christ,
our Savior and our Lord.

Blessing

Like John the Baptist, we can and should show others the road to Christ and prepare the way for his full coming. This will happen only if we ourselves take his Gospel seriously, if the Lord becomes visible in us, his goodness, his compassion, his love. May Almighty God bless you, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.